Educate yourself on kidney disease

Published 8:00 pm, Sunday, March 9, 2008

There are several risk factors for kidney disease, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease.

When I was diagnosed as a young woman, my brother was being treated for kidney disease. My disease was treated but became progressively worse until I went into renal failure in 2001. My only chance for survival was a kidney transplant. I was one of the fortunate ones -- a friend of mine offered me her kidney and she was a perfect match.

Not everyone is so lucky. An estimated 17 people die each day waiting for a transplant. In Connecticut alone, there are more than 3,500 citizens on dialysis and almost 600 on the list for a kidney transplant.

March is National Kidney Month, and it marks a perfect time for residents to not only get educated about the risk factors for kidney disease, but also about steps they can take to prevent kidney failure.

One of the most important things you can do to make sure you're not one of these statistics is to get screened. If detected early enough, kidney disease is treatable.

Managing my health now includes lifelong use of medications that protect my new kidney. This is a commitment I make to enjoy life and to make a difference in my community.

For more information about kidney disease, or to see if there is a free screening in our community, visit www.kidneyct.org or call 1 (800) 441-1280.